Some green algae of Ajodhya hills and forest area of Baghmundi (Purulia district, West Bengal)

Abstract

Fresh water resources are depleting at a fast rate throughout the world affecting diverse aquatic flora and fauna. Algal flora responds to the adverse changes in habitat which is reflected by their morphotaxonomical deformation and occurrences of pollution tolerant taxa in the changed habitat. Based on the findings of more than five decades, it has been established that such taxa are labeled as bioindicator because of their pollution tolerance. Taking into account, these attributes; a systematic enumeration of phytoplanktons of all the five dams of Ajodhya hills viz. Upper dam, Lower dam, Marvel Lake, Kestobazar lake and Murguma dam was carried out. During the systematic investigations on morphotaxonomy of green algal flora of Ajodhya hills and forest area altogether 15 taxa of green algae were studied. These taxa belong to Volvocales, Chlorococcales and Zygnematales. These taxa come under the genera Eudorina, Gonium, Pandorina (Volvocales), Hydrodictyon, Pediastrum, Scenedesmus (Chlorococcales), Spirogyra, and Zygnema, (Zygnematales). Out of these members of Zygnematales were found to be abundant reflecting the optimum nutrient and atmospheric condition supporting their growth. The collections of algal samples were made periodically (during 2020 to 2022) and characteristic features were studied and identification was done based on standard literatures. However, the part of the Murguma dam which is affected by anthropogenic activity. The algal population showed the abundance of pollution tolerant taxa and the water quality of that particular part of dam showed organic pollution in physicochemical analysis of the water taken up during the studies.